It seems that every occupation has different criteria that people need to follow in order to work in their chosen field. Many different occupations require testing in order to be certified or licensed in that area. In most cases this is a very good thing because it provides for some consistency in knowledge amongst the people that enter the occupation. It is a good way to measure that the person has learned what they need to be in that line of work.
In some occupations you need to be licensed by the state you are working in and for other occupations there is a general examination that is accepted in all the states. My daughters have found that not all states have similar laws when it comes to the board of nursing. Both of my daughters obtained their nursing degrees from the same university. Once they graduated with their degree they contacted the board of nursing to take their examinations. Once they passed the exam they were considered registered nurses. They both passed and started working in the state we live in. My older daughter met a young man and got married. They needed to relocate to Texas for his job. My daughter contacted the board of nursing in Texas to inquire about taking the nursing exam. She was told that as long as she had proof that she is a registered nurse she could work in nursing in Texas. She was relieved that she did not have to retake the board exam. They moved and within a month she was working for a clinic that was located a few miles from the home they were renting.
My other daughter decided that she wanted to make some big money and see the country at the same time. She signed up for the traveling nurse program. This is for professionals in the medical field that are willing to go where there is a shortage of staff. The pay is high and some of the locations were appealing to my daughter. It seemed like a great job for a single person. Once she signed up she found out that not every state accepts the registration from our state. Some states did and others required that you took the examination for their particular state. She contacted the board of nursing and complained about the inconsistency. They agreed with her, but explained that at this time there is not a national registry for nurses. This is something that is being worked on. Once this would be established a nurse can take a national examination and work any where in the country. This seems like it will be a more organized way of helping nurses find work in other states.